FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.41

दशोत्तराधिकैर्यत्र प्रविष्ट: परमाणुवत् । लक्ष्यतेऽन्तर्गताश्चान्ये कोटिशो ह्यण्डराशय: ॥ ४१ ॥
daśottarādhikair yatra
[dashottaraadhikair yatra]
praviṣṭaḥ paramāṇuvat
[pravishtah paramaanuvat]
lakṣyate ’ntar-gatāś cānye
[lakshyate ’ntar-gataash chaanye]
koṭiśo hy aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ
[kotisho hy anda-raashayah]
Word-for-word
daśa-uttara-adhikaiḥ — with ten times greater thickness yatra — in which praviṣṭaḥ — entered parama-aṇu-vat — like atoms lakṣyate — it (the mass of universes) appears antaḥ-gatāḥ — come together ca — and anye — in the other koṭiśaḥ — clustered hi — for aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ — huge combination of universes.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
daśottarādhikair yatra
daśa-uttara-adhikaiḥ
with ten times greater thickness
yatra
in which
praviṣṭaḥ paramāṇuvat
praviṣṭaḥ
entered
parama-aṇu-vat
like atoms
lakṣyate ’ntar-gatāś cānye
lakṣyate
it (the mass of universes) appears
antaḥ-gatāḥ
come together
ca
and
koṭiśo hy aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ
anye
in the other
koṭiśaḥ
clustered
hi
for
aṇḍa-rāśayaḥ
huge combination of universes.
The layers or elements covering the universes are each ten times thicker than the one before, and all the universes clustered together appear like atoms in a huge combination.
Purport

The coverings of the universes are also constituted of the elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, and each is ten times thicker than the one before. The first covering of the universe is earth, and it is ten times thicker than the universe itself. If the universe is four billion miles in size, then the size of the earthly covering of the universe is four billion times ten. The covering of water is ten times greater than the earthly covering, the covering of fire is ten times greater than the watery covering, the covering of air is ten times greater than that of the fire, the covering of ether is ten times greater still than that of air, and so on. The universe within the coverings of matter appears to be like an atom in comparison to the coverings, and the number of universes is unknown even to those who can estimate the coverings of the universes.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Within the pore hole of Mahāviṣṇu, the universe composed of sixteen transformations and eight elements, measuring 500,000,000 yojanas, covered by seven layers of elements which are ten times thicker than the previous layer, appears like a paramāṇu. Millions of other universes also, within the Lord’s pores, appear small as well. The Lord was described as the soul of the universe. Now he is described as covering the whole universe. Beginning with eight elements (five gross elements, mahat-tattva, ahaṅkāra and prakṛti) and sixteen transformations (ten senses, mind, five sense objects), the universe, covered by seven layers such as earth (bahiḥ viśeṣādibhiḥ), each ten times thicker than the previous layer appears very small. This is the case not only with one universe, but others as well.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre.
Reflection Questions
  • What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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